A Few Thoughts

nicole hair blowing in the a/cI’ve had a lot on my mind lately, but not enough on every subject for a full post. How about some bullet points instead of paragraphs?

  • I’ve started dealing with some hair loss. It’s not enough for it to be noticeable to others, but it’s making me paranoid. My dark hair has been part of my “identity” the past few years because I haven’t liked a lot of my features being so overweight. It’s the longest it’s ever been, and I hope I don’t lose it. Last week I dyed my hair a shade darker because it’s supposed to hide hair loss.
  • When I look at myself in the mirror, I like what I see more and more. For a long time I’d stare and myself and not really recognize myself. It feels good to look more like myself than I have in several years
  • I’m having a very hard time being compliant with taking my vitamins and supplements. The smell of a multivitamin alone makes my stomach turn. Today I skipped splitting my MVI in half, and it got stuck in my pouch. I was painfully uncomfortable for hours, and was scared I would need to see the doctor. I finally decided to drink enough water to vomit (yes, gross I know), and felt soooo much better once the vitamin would out. But ugh…regurgitated vitamins taste much worse coming up than they do going down!
  • I’m getting really nervous about making it through the Color Me Rad 5K I’m doing on Saturday. I’ve amped up my exercise, but I’m worried I’ll collapse and pass out. I get so tired so easily since surgery. I’m going to really have to pace myself.
  • My friend Sue wrote a post, “Be Your Own Kind of Average” a few months ago about her weight loss surgery experience. I read it every few weeks. It has a lot of truth in it about life after WLS – especially the part about people start being nicer. People who wouldn’t have given me the time of day are starting to hold conversations with me. More people make eye contact and smile. It feels good, but it sort of feels awkward too.
  • Right now, all I want is a Coke Zero. Must be strong.

Hmmm…I guess I had enough content I didn’t need to use bullet points. Oh well, my thoughts are pretty scattered tonight.

Comments

  1. Hi Nicole! I am a faithful reader of your blog (and all of the archives!). I am so glad you posted, I’ve been anxiously awaiting your next entry!

    I am in the pre-WLS steps. Hopefully will have it this summer or early fall. Would you consider doing a post/blog entry that answers questions from readers like me?

    With the hair loss, how much is it? Like, after you have a baby? I read that Biotin is wonderful for hair from a girl who had gastric bypass…she takes 5 pills of Biotin a DAY! and she has a gorgeous mane. Would you recommend really taking vitamins before surgery to prevent hair loss? I, too, worry about hair loss, as I have already lost so much with my hypothyroidism.

    Michelle

    • I’ve been meaning to do a FAQ post for a while, but I’m not getting as many questions as I was closer to surgery. Most questions I’ve just been answering as I go. As for hair loss, it’s really not enough for anyone else to notice but me. I’ll brush my hair and 2-3x more hair comes off in my brush. More hair comes out in the shower, and I shed more during the day. I never had hair loss problems after I had my daughter, so I’m not sure if it’s similar. I’m taking Biotin twice a day, but they’re huge monster pills that I cut into thirds. It’s up to you if you want to start taking the vitamins early…if anything it will get you into the habit. Let me know if you have more questions…I know I was full of them in my pre-surgery phase.

  2. Unfortunately Biotin won’t prevent hair loss. That is a myth. It will help to make the hair you DO have to look healthy and lustrous, so sometimes that makes it seem as though it is preventing hair loss. Your body is in shock and believes it is being malnourished and it gives up unneccessary functions first – like hair production. Once you are able to eat a little more, and are getting more nutrients, hair loss stops. That’s why people typically lose hair for the first few months, and then the hair loss stops. So ironically Nicole, taking those awful vitamins, all of them, is the best thing you can do to keep your hair. And not everyone loses hair. I didn’t.

    STAY STRONG AND STAY AWAY FROM THE COKE. The cravings really will go away after a while, I promise. I was the hugest diet dr pepper drinker on the planet, and I now believe that was part of the reason why I had so many cravings. The artificial sweeteners really do make you crave unhealthy things.

    And thanks for the link to my neglected blog. ;>

    • I’ve heard a lot of mixed things on Biotin, but I’m going to take it (unless it makes me start growing facial hair, which I think is worse than hair thinning) I’m trying to keep up on my protein and vitamins so the hair loss doesn’t worsen.

      I really love that blog post of yours. I’ve read it lots of times, and it’s so relateable. One of these days we need to get together in person!

  3. Hi Nicole,

    I stumbled across your blog 4 days before having gastric bypass surgery myself. I had my surgery on March 16th and am down a little more than 30lbs. It sounds like we started off within 20lbs of each other so I’m very much enjoying reading about your progress as you are 6 weeks ahead of me on your surgery date. I’m also not enjoying the multivitamin. Have you tried the liquid vitamin powder from bariatric advantage? I find it a bit sweet, but it’s a nice change of pace from chewables. I do 2 weeks or so on liquids and then 2-3 weeks on chewables and back and forth. I cannot wait to fly without an extender, I think it will be a while for me though. I carry lots of my weight in my hips. For now I’m hoping and shooting for 100lbs gone by the last week of August when my husband and I take our two little boys to Disneyland.

    Keep up the good work!

    Danna

    • Thanks for your comments! It’s fun to find people that are in a similar stage of weight loss. I look at people 3-6 months ahead of me and have a hard time believing I could be where they are so soon. I haven’t tried any of the BA vitamins, but I’ve had them suggested 3 times today. When my vitamin stash is in need of replenishment, I’ll give it a try.

      And yes! Flying without an extender is SO exciting. I got a little teary eyed.

  4. On the hair loss — Sue has it on the nose. It’s a natural response your body is having to the tremendous loss of food. It’s prioritizing what to do, and growing hair is low on your body’s list. The booklet I got from my doctor included mention about hair loss. They said you’re most likely to experience it between 3-9 months of the surgery, but that the hair grows back afterwards. Just keep taking the vitamins — they said you can also take those supplements labeled to hair with hair and nails, so what you do have, is nice and shiny.

    I had quite a bit of hair loss when I lost a lot of weight on Atkins some years ago. One trick I wound up with was getting a lot of pretty headbands and bandanas to wear, to cover up any thin areas near your face.

  5. Be strong! Stay away from the 0! (Now they’re saying fructose is the preferred sugar of cancer cells anyway)

    You’re awesome Nicole! You always have been and you always will be!

  6. Always good to read your blogs. You are looking so great! And I will always be nice to you no matter what (if you promise to be nice to me (lol).

  7. hello Nicole,
    i found your blog while i was looking for belly marks after laparoscopic gastric bypass i saw your belly photo it looks fine not horrible as i thought it would be.
    i was hoping you can post another one after it healed,
    best of luck you look great

    • My scars looks worse than they did when I posted that picture. They’re starting to keloid over and are more sensitive then they were closer to surgery. But I keloid easily. Will probably get the scars injected next time I’m at the dermatologist.

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